[jyoti]

Okay, so coming from a conservative Christian background, it's hard not to notice that taboo words in India differ greatly from my subculture of the US.  Whether it's the British influence (where some of our taboo words are not taboo), too much Hollywood (where anything goes), or from my Indian friends who have black American friends who would use words that I would not.

This is more curiousity than anything, but what words are okay in Indian english that are not okay in American English?  (yes, i know, this is asking for all kinds of trouble for the mods... sorry guys! but which dialect gets to be "proper" English... and how many ***s can I use before becoming unintelligibile...)

Okay, words that I would NEVER use in polite company that seem to be fine here:

sh*t
chink/chinky
n*gger/n*gga

Words that my younger friends (20s-30s) use, but I don't know what the norm is:

b*tch
a**

Word I'm pretty darn sure aren't common usage:

f**k

Would you say these things in front of your parents?  Professors?  Very conservative friends?  (The first list I have heard used openly in these contexts.)

--Jyoti, in full linguist curiosity

[Somerset]

jyoti, on Oct 10 2007, 09:41 AM, said:

Word I'm pretty darn sure aren't common usage:

f**k

This word used is frequently used among 18-22 of all social and economic classes in the US. Can be used as a noun, adjective, or a verb . Frequently finds multiple uses in one sentence. Not used with elders (professors, parents, in "polite" company) at this time, but I'll bet it will follow a similar path as B*tch and a**: once taboo, now in common usage.

Edited by Somerset, 10 October 2007 - 07:47 PM.

[Judi]

Somerset, on Oct 10 2007, 03:15 PM, said:

This word used is frequently used among 18-22 of all social and economic classes in the US. Can be used as a noun, adjective, or a verb . Frequently finds multiple uses in one sentence. Not used with elders (professors, parents, in "polite" company) at this time, but I'll bet it will follow a similar path as B*tch and a**: once taboo, now in common usage.

That pretty much goes for here in the UK, too, I would say.

A scene in a recent TV programme had one man saying to another " Come the f*ck in, or f*ck the f*ck off ! "  Very, very funny in context.  


There was a young girl from Madras
Who had the most beautiful ass.
It was not, as you think,
soft, rounded and pink,
but was grey, had long ears and ate grass.

[iwanttogoback]

the f word is used extensively here, as noun, adjective, verb and adverb and possibly other types i can't name.

i wouldn't use it in front of my parents or older people, or at work, but it seems to be fairly common everywhere else. however, what else would you expect from rude colonials?

my favourite expression when frustrated is f@@k f@@k f@@k f@@kety f@@k.

i don't mind a bit of swearing when it's used judiciously and accurately,or humourously (perhaps it's an australian thing). what i find more frustrating is the seeming verbal illiteracy that results in every second or third word in a sentence like being like you know? even at uni...

it makes me want to scream.

in short, australians use a lot of swear words, and, at least in some circles, unfortunately, an awful lot of derogatory terms racial terms.

[cyberhippie]

The use of the F-word is mandatory in Scotland     Otherwise you would never get your point across!

[Somerset]

jyoti, on Oct 10 2007, 09:41 AM, said:

Okay, words that I would NEVER use in polite company that seem to be fine here:

chink/chinky
n*gger/n*gga

Quite surprised that these are acceptable in India. I think they are used among people that identify with those particular groups, but I think white people rarely use them and most of us are rather embarassed by them. There is a very funny scene in a Jackie Chan movie (Rush Hour) that plays off that.

Edited by Somerset, 10 October 2007 - 08:21 PM.

[iwanttogoback]

too f'ing right mate!

somerset, i hope you are right when you say that most of us are embarassed by those words. i know that i am and, thankfully, so are my children. hopefully they will just fade away...

[Somerset]

iwanttogoback, on Oct 10 2007, 03:05 PM, said:

too f'ing right mate!

somerset, i hope you are right when you say that most of us are embarassed by those words. i know that i am and, thankfully, so are my children. hopefully they will just fade away...

Those words are apparently pervasive in rap, and there is a movement to eliminate their usage altogether. Richard Pryor had a great routine about why he stopped using the N-word. He went to Africa and didn't see a single n**.

[WonderWomanUSA]

Judi, on Oct 10 2007, 07:20 AM, said:

That pretty much goes for here in the UK, too, I would say.

A scene in a recent TV programme had one man saying to another " Come the f*ck in, or f*ck the f*ck off ! "  Very, very funny in context.  

Not in the "new, improved USA" which is currently being run by fundamentalist Christian Republicans, who are trying to erase all forbidden words from US media. A station snhowing the scene outlined above would be heavily fined for each instance of the F-word, even if inadvertent. This despite simulated sex shown on daytime soap operas. <sigh>

[malkers]

iwanttogoback, on Oct 10 2007, 03:30 PM, said:

in short, australians use a lot of swear words,

Yes!  Kevin Bloody Wilson springs to mind "Oi Santa, where's me f***ing bike", classic!!  

WonderWomanUSA, on Oct 10 2007, 04:53 PM, said:

A station showing the scene outlined above would be heavily fined for each instance of the F-word, even if inadvertent.

Gordon Ramsey must be costing himself a small fortune on Hells Kitchen Usa then, he swears much more on that than he does on the English version, perhaps they bleep it out for its intended audience?

An Irish friend of mine uses the f and c words in perfect normal conversation, he simply cannot talk without doing it and it sounds ok for some reason.

As far as the n***er word is concerned, I absolutely hate it when black rap artists use this word frequently in the trash they churn out, they use it abusively too but if a white bloke was to call them one?  Well!!

I found the f word being used regulaly in India but only among the new generation!

[Hyderabadi]

iwanttogoback, on Oct 10 2007, 10:30 AM, said:

the f word is used extensively here, as noun, adjective, verb and adverb and possibly other types i can't name.
................................

The f word is pretty versatile:

Wanted to add links but never mind!  

Google is your friend.

[torryquine]

Judi, on Oct 10 2007, 03:20 PM, said:

There was a young girl from Madras
Who had the most beautiful ass.
It was not, as you think,
soft, rounded and pink,
but was grey, had long ears and ate grass.

F**kin marvelous   

I overuse the word b*llocks, both as an expression of frustration (usually IT related) and as adjective applied to anything stupid.

[iwanttogoback]

Quote

As far as the n***er word is concerned, I absolutely hate it when black rap artists use this word frequently in the trash they churn out,

that, and calling women bitches.

kevin bloody wilson, i didn't realise he travelled so far wwusa!

[batistuta]

Hyderabadi, on Oct 10 2007, 10:42 PM, said:

The f word is pretty versatile:

Wanted to add links but never mind!  

Google is your friend.

Hyderabadi, Are you by any chance hinting at the F..k Lecture By Osho? It is taken from his lectures on the Dhammapada. Absolutely Hilarious.

[WonderWomanUSA]

iwanttogoback, on Oct 10 2007, 05:19 PM, said:

kevin bloody wilson, i didn't realise he travelled so far wwusa!

Don't know about that ... I was quoting someone else. I don't watch TV (really, my set has not been turned on since March 2006) and wouldn't know Kevin Wilson if I saw him.

Oh, I did watch two hours of TV in Las Vegas when there on business in May... that was enough for me!

[jyotirmoy]

The f word is not used in decent Indian homes, my daughters would never use it and I don't think they do it much in the company of their friends.
The n***er word is not used at all.
Leave alone those words, in educated decent families youngsters don't even smoke in front of their elders. Decorum, manners and repect for elders and teachers are the fabric of Indian society but there are exceptions.

[iwanttogoback]

Quote

Don't know about that ... I was quoting someone else.

it was malky, more proof that i need my new glasses, which are now perched ever so cutely on the end of my nose.

[malkers]

iwanttogoback, on Oct 11 2007, 09:24 AM, said:

it was malky, more proof that i need my new glasses, which are now perched ever so cutely on the end of my nose.

send us a cute pic then

am reading allen carr right now, fascinating!

[iwanttogoback]

it's only the glasses that are cute!

[Hyderabadi]

batistuta, on Oct 10 2007, 09:19 PM, said:

Hyderabadi, Are you by any chance hinting at the F..k Lecture By Osho? It is taken from his lectures on the Dhammapada. Absolutely Hilarious.

Mods please feel free to remove link if found offensive, otherwise enjoy!  



http://www.users.glo.../~choh/fcuk.htm

and even a movie

http://www.fourletterfilm.com

Edited by Hyderabadi, 11 October 2007 - 05:18 PM.